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ROBINSON CRUSOE 

FOR 

BOYS AND GIRLS 


LIDA B. McMURRY 

Primary Training Teacher Northern Illinois State Normal School 

AND 


MARY HALL HUSTED. 



REVISED EDITION 





BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS 
Public-School Publishing Company 
1904 












LIBRARY of congress! 
Two Copies Received 


JAN 14 1904 

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By PUBLIC-SCHOOL PUBLISHING COMPANY 


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©ur L.tttU’ Friends and Pupils 

WHO HAVE 

UNCONSCIOUSLY AIDED US IN THE ADAPTATION OF 

THIS STORY, 

THIS VOLUME 

IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED 


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PREFACE. 


This little book is the result of much experi- 
ence in seeking to adapt the story of Robinson 
Crusoe to the literary attainments and educa- 
tional needs of children in the primary schools. 
It is supposed to follow the study of the “Clas- 
sic Stories for Little Ones” and to precede the 
study of the “Pioneer History Stories,” which 
recount the stirring events in the lives of those 
heroes who first broke ground for our American 
civilization in the Mississippi Valley. Crusoe 
is the transition from myths and fairly tales, 
where the imagination is untrammeled by the 
“practical/’ to the study of real biography. 
Those events in DeFoe’s story that are of doubt- 
ful educational value are omitted; but it is be- 
lieved that the child’s interest in the narrative 
is not impaired thereby* The language is that 
of children, and Robinson seems to be telling his 
story to them. It will prove to be valuable sup- 


4 


Preface. 


plementary reading* for classes in the second and 
third grades. 

The Appendix in the Teachers’ and Mothers 
Edition of this story, prepared by Dr. Frank 
McMurry and Dr. C. C. Van Liew, will be studied 
with interest and profit by those for whom it w T as 
written. The former shows the educational value 
of the story, and the latter presents a method of 
teaching it to children in the second and third 
grades. The authors hereby acknowledge their 
obligations to them for their able assistance 
in the preparation of this edition. 

The Authors. 



L 

ROBINSON CRUSOE AT HOME. 

When I was a little boy, I lived in a great 
eity by the sea, with my father and mother. 
They were very kind to me and loved me 
dearly. They wished me to go to school 
and learn a great deal, so that I might 
some day be a useful man. 

But I was lazy, and liked better to play 
by the' river than to study. I often sat 

5 


6 


Robinson Crusoe. 


hour after hour watching the great ships 
loading and unloading their cargoes, and 
as they sailed away I wished I might go 
with them. 

My father had told me that the ships 
came from lands where the men did not 
look like those I knew, and the plants and 
animals were very different from any I had 
seen. 

He expected me to become a merchant, 
but I could think of nothing but the ships, 
and I often ran away from my work to 
watch them. 

When I was sixteen years old, father said 
to me one day: “Robinson, I wish you to 
be a merchant. If you attend to your work, 
you shall some day take charge of my busi- 
ness; but if you are lazy, no one will care 
for you and you will not be able to care for 
yourself.” He talked to me a long time 
about my bad habits. 

I thought of what he had said and made 
up my mind to work hard. But it was not 


At Home. 


7 


long before I began to think of the ships 
again and long to sail across the ocean. 

Father saw that I was not doing my work 
well, and one morning he said: “Robinson, 
what will become of you? Do you want to 
become a good-for-nothing, and some day 
beg for your bread?” 

I said: “But, father, I do not wish to be 
a merchant. I want to go away on one of 
those ships. It must be great fun to be out 
on the ocean, and I want to see those strange 
lands.” 

My father replied: “But, my son, if you 
do not learn anything you will be of no use 
to anyone on the ship, and one must work in 
other countries as well as here. You must 
remember that idleness is the beginning of 
all mischief. If you disobey your father and 
mother and run away, you will sometime 
be sorry; for whoever disobeys his parents 
will never be happy.” 

While he was talking, the tears ran down 
his face, and I could not help but feel that 


Robinson Crusoe. 


I ought to do as he wished, and I again 
promised to do better. 

But very- soon I forgot all about my 
promise, and when my father was not near 
I threw my work aside, put on my hat, and 
went to the harbor. 

As I sat watching the ships, I wished 
more than ever to sail away. I knew it 
would do no good to say more to father 
about going; but I went to my mother and 
said: “Mother, will you please ask father 
to let me go off on just one voyage?” 

But she would listen to nothing of the 
kind, and with tears in her eyes she said: 
“Robinson, you are our only child, and 
were we to lose you, we should be left all 
alone. Your father and I are old, and who 
would take care of us if we were sick? Do 
not make us unhappy. Do not leave us.” 
1 said nothing more then, but I could not 
help thinking about a voyage on the ocean. 

Two years passed, and as I was walking 
one day along the harbor I met a friend, the 
son of the captain of one of the vessels. 


At Home.; 


9 


After talking some time, my friend said, 
“Well, Robinson, father starts for America 
today, and I am going with him.” 

“Oh! how I wish I could go with you!” 
said I. 

. “Come along!” said he. ' 

“But I have no money,” I replied. 

“Father will take you for nothing, I am 
sure,” said my friend. “You can work for 
him on the ship.” 

Giving him my hand, I said, “Good! If 
he will let me work my way I will go with 
you.” 



II. 

THE VOYAGE. 


The ship on which I found myself, that 
bright September morning, was a large one. 
The sailors were getting it ready for the 
voyage. Soon I heard the cry, U A — all 
ha — a — nds! up anchor, a — ho — oy!” At 

once everything seemed to be filled with 
10 


The Voyage. 


11 


life; the sails were loosed, the yards braced, 
and the anchor slowly raised. 

Orders were given so rapidly and there 
was such a hurrying about and so many 
strange noises that I hardly knew what to 
make of it. The boom of a cannon was 
heard above the shouts of the sailors and 
the creaking of the sails ; then the vessel 
moved slowly out of the harbor. In a short 
time we were under way. 

I turned to look at the home I was leav- 
ing. I could see the streets with the peo- 
ple passing up and down, the houses, and 
the gardens. Soon I could see only the 
towers; finally they, too, faded from sight, 
and I was out on the great ocean. 

Behind me and before me, to my right and 
to my left, I could see nothing but water — 
water — water. Then I began to think of 
what I had done. I remembered my fath- 
er’s tears and my mother’s kindness, and 
here I was out upon the ocean, sailing ayray 
from parents, home, and friends. 

A strong wind arose, and the ship rocked 


12 


Robinson Crusoe. 


so fearfully from side to side that I be- 
came dizzy. The storm grew worse, and I 
thought that every wave would surely swal- 
low up the ship. Every time it went down 
into the trough or hollow of the sea, I feared 
it would never come up again. I told my 
friend that I was very much afraid; but he 
only laughed at me and said, “Oh, you will 
get used to this after a little.” 

I began to feel faint, so that I had to hold 
on to something to keep from falling down. 
The masts and ropes danced about and the 
sailors seemed to be walking on their heads. 
Finally, as I let go my hold, I fell full 
length upon the deck and could not rise. 
I was seasick. This sickness lasted for two 
days; then the sea became quiet and I be: 
gan to get better. 

This storm was followed by a few days 
of pleasant weather; then sud.denly the sky 
grew dark, the winds howled, and there 
was much shouting among the sailors and 
officers. Another storm had arisen. I 
thought every minute that the ship would 


The Voyage. 


13 


sink and made up my mind that if I ever 
reached land I would go hack to my home 
and stay there. The storm raged all day and 
all night. But when the morning dawned, 
the sky became clear, the waves were more 
quiet and the ocean looked beautiful. I was 
used to the rocking of the vessel by this 
time and began to love the excitement. 

We had been out several weeks when 
another heavy storm struck us. This was 
very much worse than either of the others; 
all on board feared that we were lost. The 
wind and waves drove the ship -onward, 
tossing it about like a nut-shell. 

Suddenly the sailor at the masthead cried 
out, “Land ahead!” All rushed up from 
below to see, but the waves broke over the 
deck with such fury that they were driven 
back into the cabin. 

Then came a fearful shock. The vessel 
had struck a rook. The sailors below cried 
out, “The ship has sprung aleak!” The 
water poured in; the vessel began to settle 


14 


Robinson Crusoe. 


down; everyone called for help; and each 
thought only of saving his own life. 

A small boat was let down into the water, 
and all of the men jumped into it. When 
we were only a little w'ay from the sinking 
vessel, a great wave, that looked like a 
mountain, came rolling toward our little 
bark. It was overturned and all the men 
went down. 

I knew how to swim very well, but the 
waves were so strong that I could do noth- 
ing. I came to the top but a wave carried 
me under again. Another wave brought 
me again to the top, and this time I could 
see land very near. Then a heavy sea 
hurled me against a rock, and I clung to 
this with all my strength. Another wave 
dashed over me, but I held on to the rock. 
Then I ran up the slope, but only a little 
way, for I fell to the ground and knew 
nothing more for a long time. 

When I opened my eyes my first ques- 
tion was, “Where am I?” I looked for the 
sailors, but alas! I did not see them, and I 


In His New Home. 


15 


said that all must have been drowned. I 
was the only one whose life had been saved. 
I knelt down on the rocks and thanked God 
for His mercy to me. 



III. 

ROBINSON IN HIS NEW HOME. 

I began to wonder what I should do 
here. I was very wet and had no change 
of clothes. I was hungry and thirsty and 


16 


Robinson Crusoe. 


did not know where to look for food or 
drink. I was also afraid that wild animals 
might attack me, for I had no gun. 

It was growing dark and I must look for 
a safe place to sleep. Where should I find 
it? For some time' I stood still, dazed and 
helpless, not knowing what to do. 

At last I said, “I will do as the birds do, 
find a bed in a tree.” I soon found a tree 
with thick branches in which I could settle 
myself quite comfortably and sleep without 
danger of falling. 

As I had nothing with which to defend 
myself but a knife, I cut me a stout stick. 
Then I climbed the tree, arranged myself 
carefully and fell asleep. Being very tired 
I slept soundly till morning. 

When I awoke it was broad day; the 
weather was clear and the sea calmer. I was 
weak from hunger and thirst and wondered 
what I could find for breakfast. I climbed 
down from my bed and walked around look- 
ing for food, but I found only grass, and 
trees that bore no fruit. 


In Hjs,New Home. 


17 


“I shall die of hunger,” I cried. But 
when the need is greatest then God’s help 
is nearest. I had gone but a few steps when 
I saw a large plant with a thick stalk, and 
on it were three long ears. It was a stalk 
of corn. 

I broke off one ear and ate the kernels. 
The other ears I put into my pocket. I 
also found a spring of clear, cool water. 

Not far away was a high hill. I went up 
to the top of it that I might look about me. 
It took me half an hour to climb it but when 
I had reached the top I could see a long 
distance. I found that there was water all 
around me. This distressed me greatly. 

“So I am upon an island,” I cried, “alone, 
and without food or shelter. 0, what will 
become of me!” 

As I spoke my eyes fell upon the ship. 
It lay about a mile from the shore, and had 
not been broken to pieces by the storm, as 
I had supposed. It was still resting upon 
the rock. “I must reach that ship,” I 
thought. “How can I do it?” 


18 


Robinson Crusoe. 


The water was so shallow that I could 
wade within a quarter of a mile of it, and I 
swam the remainder of the distance. By 
the help of a rope I climbed to the deck of 
the vessel. No sooner had I reached it 
than I was greeted by the joyful barking of 
our dog, which the sailors had named 
Barri. He jumped upon me, kissing my 
face and laughing with joy to see a friend 
once more. I, too, was glad to have good 
old Barri with me again. 

I found many things on board the vessel 
which were not at all injured by the salt 
water of the sea. First of all I hunted for 
food, and found a chest of ship biscuits. I 
gave some to Barri who was very hungry, 
and ate many of them myself. 

I gathered those things together which I 
wished to take with me, and built a raft by 
fastening a number of logs together with 
ropes, and nailing some boards upon these. 
I put upon the raft the chest of biscuits, a 
flint for making a fire, a box of tools, a 
sabre, four guns, two barrels of -powder and 


In His New Home. 


19 


some shot, a bundle of clothing and many 
other things. 

With a broken oar I then rowed toward 
land. Suddenly I heard, a splashing behind 
me, and turned about, much frightened. 
But it was only Barri, the faithful dog, who 
was swimming after me. I drew the poor 
fellow out of the water on to the raft. In 
half an hour I brought everything safely to 
land. It was now getting dark, and again I 
hunted for a tree in which to spend the night. 

The next morning my first thought was 
of the ship. I decided to bring over all of 
the things which I might be able to use. 

I went to the vessel on my raft and 
brought back two kegs of nails and one of 
spikes, a large auger, a grindstone, two 
barrels of bullets, a large bag of shot, seven 
muskets, a sledge hammer and chest of 
tools, a sail, and some bedding. I wanted 
to put on other things, but the raft could 
hold no more. I brought all these safely to 
land. My next care was to get my goods 
under cover. For this purpose I went to 


20 


Robinson Cruspe. 


work to build myself a tent. I cut a few 
poles, set them into the ground in the form 
of a circle. I then tied the tops together 
and fastened the sail over the whole. Into 
this tent I put everything that I had 
brought from the ship. I swam outdo the 
ship eleven times and each day brought 
home on a new raft food or other things 
which I thought I might need. 

The last time I went to the ship I found 
in a drawer a pair of scissors, a few knives, 
and a bag of gold. I was very glad to get the 
scissors and knives, but had no use at pres- 
ent for the gold, though I put it in my bag. 

But a strong wind arose while I was on 
the ship, and I had not time to make a raft 
before the storm broke, so I swam ashore. 
I had barely reached the land when the 
wind became so strong that the waves 
broke over the ship. When the sea be- 
came quiet again nothing could be seen of 
it. I felt very thankful that I had been 
able to get so much, for I thought, “How 
could I have lived without these things!” 



IY. 

ROBINSON’S HOUSE. 

. My tent stood on low, wet ground, which 
was not a good place for a home. I looked 
about a long time and at last I found a level 
spot on the side of a hill near the sea, which 

suited me very well. 

21 


22 


Robinson Crusoe. 


Back of this plain was a high, steep wall 
of rock, in which was an opening like that 
of a cave. I said to myself, “What a fine 
home I can make here! ” 

I first brought up my tent and everything 
that was in it. This was hard work. I set 
up the tent and moved everything into it; 
then I built a double wall or fence in the 
shape of a semi-circle, extending from one 
side of the cave around to the other side, 
and inclosing a beautiful green yard. 

The front of the fence was ten yards 
from the cave door, and its two ends were 
about twenty yards apart. This double 
fence was made by driving two rows of 
strong stakes into the ground until they 
stood very firm. They stood five feet and 
a half high and were sharpened at the top. 
These two rows were only six inches apart. 

Between them I laid one row after 
another of ship cable until it reached the 
top. Other stakes, two and a half feet 
long, were driven into the ground inside of 
the second row, and they leaned against 


Robinson’s House. 


23 


the fence so as to brace it. Neither man 
nor animal could get through this fence, 
nor was it easy to climb over it. Instead 
of a gate I made me a ladder so that I 
might go over the top. When I was within, 

I lifted the ladder in after me. The fencing 
in of my home had been a hard piece of 
work and had lasted more than three 
months. 

Within this fence I built a cabin. My 
tent had allowed the rain to go through. I 
wished to make the roof of the cabin rain 
proof. I measured off ten steps directly in 
front of my cave and marked the spot. To _ 
the right and to the left of this I measured 
off five steps. At these two points I drove 
poles very firmly into the ground. Upon 
these I laid a cross piece. Upon this cross 
piece were nailed the rafters, their other end 
resting on the rocky cliff and forming a 
slanting roof. 

I covered this roof with long grass and I . 
made the sides of wood, and filled the cracks 
with mud. Apiece of sail formed the door. 


24 


Robinson Crusoe. 


When I had done this I began to dig my 
way into the rock. I carried all the stones 
out through my cabin and laid them up 
within the fence. This raised the ground 
all around about a foot and a half. The 
cave formed the cellar to my house. 


His Work. 


25 


Y. 

HIS WORK. 

While I was at work in the cave a storm 
came up. It grew dark, and suddenly there 
was a flash of lightning, and after that a 
great clap of thunder. I thought, “Oh, my 
powder ! If the lightning should reach that, 
what should I do? If I lose my powder I 
cannot get food, and I shall have nothing 
with which to protect myself.” 

After the storm was over I shook out 
some small grain bags which I had, and 
made some others and put the powder into 
about a hundred of these, hoping that if 
some of it should burn, I could keep a part 
at least. I hid these bags of powder in 
holes among the rocks. Here it could not 
get wet. 

While I was doing this I went out at 
least once a day with my gun. The first 
time I discovered that there were goats 


26 


Robinson Crusoe. 


upon the island, and I was glad to see them. 
But they were very shy and ran so swiftly 
that it was the most difficult thing in the 
world to catch them. 

One day I watched for them, thinking 
perhaps I could shoot one; but when they 
were upon the rocks and saw me in the 
valley they would run away, very much 
frightened. When they were feeding in 
the valley and I was upon the rocks., how- 
ever, they took no notice of me. F rom this 
I thought that they could not see readily 
objects that were above them. So I climbed 
the rocks to get above them, and then fired 
at them. 

The first goat that I shot was an old one. 
She had a little kid by her side, which I did 
not see at first. It grieved me that I had 
killed the mother. I picked up the mother 
goat and carried her home over my shoul- 
der, the little kid following me. I thought 
I could tame the kid, but it would not eat; 
so I had to kill it to keep it from starving 
to death. 


His Work. 


27 


Many times I grew sad, thinking of my 
home in England. Then I would remem- 
ber how I had been saved and this would 
make me very thankful. 

I had been on the island about ten or 
twelve days, when the thought came to me 
that I should not be able to tell the day of 
the week or month after a while, for want 
of books and pen and ink, and should not 
know which was the Sabbath day. 

To prevent this, I set up a post, and on 
this I cut these words': “I came on shore 
here the- 30th of September, 1659.” Then 
for every day I cut a notch. Every seventh 
notch was longer than the others. 

One day, as I was looking over the things 
I had brought from the ship, I found pens, 
ink, and paper; also three good Bibles and 
several other books. I must not forget, 
also, that we had in the ship two cats, which 
I brought home with me. 

I was careful not to waste any ink, for I 
knew that I could not get any more when 
that was gone. 


28 


Robinson Crusoe. 


One day I wrote the following upon 


paper : 

GOOD. 

But I am alive- 

But I am not starved. 

But it is warm herfe. 

But I am upon an island 
where I see no wild beasts. 
But God sent the ship near 
enough to the shore for me 
to get many things, and I 
have Barri and the cats for 
company. 

This made me think that no matter how 
hard my life seemed, I could find something 
for which to be thankful. 

I needed many things in the house, so I 
went to work and made some of them. 
First, I made a chair and a table out of 
short pieces of boards which I had brought 
from the ship. Then I made some shelves 
along one side of my cave. You may know 
that this was no light task, when I tell you 
that I had no tools but an ax and an adze. 
If I wanted a board, I must chop down a 
tree, cut off from the trunk the length that 


I am cast upon a lonely 
island; no hope of being 
saved. 

I am alone— one man all 
alone. 

I have no clothes. 

I have nothing to fight 
with. 

I have no one to speak to. 


His Work. 


29 


I wanted, and hew it flat on either side 
with my ax until I had made it as thin as a 
plank. Then I smoothed it with my adze. 
In this way I could make but one board 
out of a whole tree. But there was no help 
for it, and as, I 'had plenty of time it was 
just as well to spend it in this way. 

The boards which I used for shelves 
were a foot and a half wide, and were 
placed one under another all along one side 
of my cave. On these I laid my tools, nails, 
and other things. I drove spikes into the 
wall, on which to hang my guns. It was a 
great pleasure to me to see all my goods in 
such order, and to know that I had so many 
useful things. 

I went out for about two hours every 
morning with my gun, when it did not rain. 
Then I worked until eleven o’clock. After 
this I had my dinner. F rom twelve to two 
o’clock I slept, then I went to work again. 

One day when I was out hunting I killed 
a young goat and lamed another. I caught 
the lame one, led it home, and bound up its 


30 


Robinson Crusoe. 


leg, which I found was broken. 1 took such 
good care of it that it soon became as well 
as ever. It would eat near my door and it 
was so tame that it would not go away. 

I worked hard, but often the rains kept 
me in the house. I had to go to bed early, 
for I had no light. I wished very often for 
a lamp and studied how to make one. 

The best that I could do was to save the 
tallow from a goat which I had killed. I 
then made a little dish of clay and dried it 
in the sun. I filled this with tallow, using 
some oakum for a wick. This gave me a 
light but not so clear and steady as a candle. 


SURPRISES. 


One day I saw a few blades of green 
coming up out of the ground just outside 
the wall I had built in front of my door. 
I was very muth surprised, a few weeks 
later, to see heads of wheat growing on 
these plants. When I saw this new gift, 
tears came to my eyes. I thought of the 
prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” 
and I repeated it. 


32 


Robinson Crusoe. 


I asked myself, - “How came this wheat 
here?” Then I remembered that one day 
during a great rain 1 had shaken some dirt 
out of a bag which had once held wheat. 
A few grains must have been left in the 
bag. It was in April that I found the plants, 
and in June I gathered a few grains of 
wheat and saved them for seed. 

By the side of the rock, back of my house, 
a few rice plants were growing. I watched 
these and when the rice was ripe I gathered 
it for seed. The seed had been sown in the 
same way. 

I had been working very hard for three 
or four months trying to get my fence done. 
The very next day after it was finished, I 
came near having my work spoiled and my- 
self killed. 

As I was busy behind my cabin, just at 
the opening of the cave, I was terribly 
frightened by a most surprising thing. The 
earth began to fall from the roof of my 
cave, and from the edge of the hill over 


Surprises. 


33 


my head. Two posts which I had set up 
in the cave cracked. 

I was alarmed, for I thought that the 
roof was falling in, and fearing that I should 
be buried in it, I ran to my ladder. I did 
not feel safe here, for the rocks from the 
hill might roll down upon me; so I got over 
the fence, and as soon as I had stepped 
down upon the ground I knew that it was 
an earthquake. 

The ground on which I stood shook three 
times. The shocks were heavy enough to 
overturn the strongest building in the 
world. A great piece of the top of a rock, 
which was about- half a mile away and near 
the sea, fell down with a terrible noise such 
as I had never heard in all my life. 

I was so frightened that I grew faint and 
sick. The falling of the rock aroused me, 
and then I could think of nothing hut the 
hill falling upon my cabin. 

After the third shock was over I felt no 
more, but I was still afraid to go over my 


34 


Robinson Crusoe. 


fence, and I sat upon the ground, not know- 
ing what to do. 

While here, the clouds gathered and it 
looked as if it might rain. Soon after, the 
wind began to rise, and in less than half an 
hour it blew a most fearful hurricane. The 
sea was white with foam, and the waves 
rolled high upon the shore. Great trees 
were torn up by the roots, and the howling 
of the storm was appalling. 

This lasted for three or four hours, then 
it began to rain. All this time I sat upon 
the ground, but when the rain began to fall 
I went into my cabin. It rained so hard 
that I had to go into the cave, although I 
still feared it would fall upon my head. 

It rained all night and a great part of the 
next day. I began to wonder what I had 
better do. I thought that if there were 
earthquakes on the island, it would not do 
to live on the side of the hill beside the 
rocks. So I determined to build a cabin 
away from the hill, and then build a fence 


Surprises. 


35 


around it; but I was settled so comfortably 
here that I did not like to think of moving. 

My tools were all so dull that I could not 
do much chopping until they were sharp- 
ened. I had a grindstone but I could not 
turn it and grind my tools at the same time. 

At last I fastened a crank to the axle; 
this crank I connected with a treadle by a 
string; I worked this treadle with my foot, 
so that I might have both my hands free. I 
spent two days sharpening my tools, which 
had all become very dull. 

One morning I found, by the seaside, a 
tortoise, or turtle. This was the first I had 
seen, not because they were scarce^ for there 
were many on the side of the island which 
I had not visited. I might have had hun- 
dreds of them every day, as I found after- 
wards, but perhaps I should have paid dearly 
enough for them. I cooked this one and 
found it better food than any I had tasted 
since I was shipwrecked on this lonely 
island. 


VII. 

ROBINSON SICK. 


The day on which I found the turtle it 
began to rain. It rained all day and it was 
still raining the next morning. 

It was usually too warm, but this rain 
felt cold, and I was sick and chilly all day. 
At night I could not sleep for the fever and 
pain in my head. 

36 


Robinson Sick. 


37 


I was no better in the morning, and I be- 
came greatly frightened and did not know 
what to do. I prayed to God, but I scarcely 
knew what I said. 

I was some better the fourth day, but 
worse on the fifth. The sixth day I was 
better again, but on the seventh I had an- 
other chill and a burning fever. 

The next day I was better again, and 
having nothing to eat, I took my gun and 
went out hunting. I killed a goat, but 
could carry home only a part of it. 

The chill came again the next day and 
I had to lie in bed. I was suffering with 
thirst, but I was too weak to get any water. 
I prayed to God, but all I could say was, 
“Lord, look upon me! Lord,, pity me! 
Lord, have mercy upon me!” After awhile 
I fell asleep. 

When I awoke it was far into the night 
and I was still very thirsty, but as there 
was no water in my cabin, I had to wait 
until morning. I went to sleep again and 
had a strange dream. 


38 


Robinson Crusoe. 


I thought that my good father stood be- 
fore me and called, “Robinson, Robinson.” 
I stretched out my arms and cried, “Here I 
am; here I am,” and then I fell back upon 
the bed. 

When I awoke, my mouth burned and I 
feared I was going to die. Then I cried 
out, “Lord, be my help, for I am in great 
need!” I soon fell asleep again; the next 
time I awoke I felt better. 

The first thing I did after getting up was 
to fill a bottle with water and place it near 
my bed. Then I broiled a piece of meat 
on the coals, but I could eat very little. I 
walked about, but was very weak, and I 
felt sad thinking that the next day the chill 
would return. 

At night I made my supper of three of 
the turtle’s eggs, which I roasted in the 
ashes. After I had eaten I tried to walk, 
but I was not able to carry a gun; so 1 
went but a little way and sat down upon 
the ground, looking out over the sea which 
lay just before me so beautiful and calm. 


Robinson Sick. 


39 


As I sat there I thought of my father and 
mother. How kind they had always been 
to me! I thought how terrible it would be 
to die here all alone, and I prayed again to 
God to help me to return home again. 

Then I thought, “Why should God help 
me? Have I not disobeyed his commands? 
God wants us to- obey our parents and to 
love them, but I have not done so. I have 
run away from them and made them very 
unhappy.” 

I walked back'slowly to my cabin, lighted 
my lamp, and sat down to think what I 
could do to get cured of my sickness. I 
looked into one of the chests, hoping to find 
in it some medicine. I did not find the 
medicine, but during my search I found a 
Bible. I brought it to the table and tried 
to read, but I was still dizzy and the letters 
danced before my eyes; but I made out this 
verse: “Call upon me in the day of trouble, 
and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glor- 
ify me.” 


40 Robinson Crusoe. 

These words comforted me. I began to 
grow sleepy, so, leaving my lamp burning,' 
I went to bed. But before I lay down, I 
knelt and asked God to take care, of me. 

Then I fell asleep and did not wake until 
nearly three o’clock the next day; but I 
was much refreshed, and when I got up I 
felt stronger. 

From this time on I grew better each 
day, although it was several weeks before 
I fully recovered. I kept thinking of those 
words, “I will deliver thee.” I wondered 
how God would deliver me. Then I thought, 
“Has he not done so? I was delivered from 
the wreck, but how have I glorified Him?” 
I fell on my knees and thanked God for all 
His kindness to me. 


ROBINSON EXPLORES THE ISLAND. 


I was soon well again, and started out to 
see more of my island home. At first I had 
been afraid of wild animals and wild men, 


42 


Robinson Crusoe. 


but now I said, “God has taken care of me 
so far and I believe lie will keep me from 
harm.” 

One morning in July I started out, going 
up the creek which flowed past my house. 
On both sides lay beautiful meadows of 
waving grass, and many flowers were grow- 
ing on the banks. I tried to find a kind of 
root out of which the Indians make their 
bread, but I found none. 

The next day I went up the stream again, 
but I went farther. I found that beyond the 
meadows were thick woods. In this part 
of the island were melons and grapes that 
were ripe and sweet. 

When night came I was so far from home 
that I did not try to return. I slept well 
in a tree, and the next morning continued 
my journey about four miles, through a 
valley with hills on each side. At the end 
of this valley I came to an opening, where 
there was a little spring of cold water, and 
everything looked fresh and green. 

Here were cocoa palms, orange, lemon, 


Explores the Island. 


43 


and citron trees. From these I gathered 
more fruit than I could carry. I filled my 
pockets as full as I could, and left a great 
heap of it lying on the ground, thinking that 
I would come for it later. 

The next day I went back, having made 
two small bags in which to carry my fruit. 
I was surprised upon coming to my heap of 
grapes, which were so rich and fine, to find 
them all scattered about, trodden to pieces, 
and many of them eaten. 

I knew that some animal must have done 
this, so after that, when I wanted to save 
grapes, I hung them on the branches of the 
trees where they would dry. In this way I 
could have a supply of raisins. This time 
I took home as many lemons as I could 
carry. 

This place was so beautiful that I thought 
I would like to live here, and I looked 
around for a spot upon which to build a 
house. But after thinking more about it, I 
remembered that my home was near the 
sea, where I hoped some day to see a ship. 


44 


Robinson Crusoe. 


Or, if some one should be ship-wrecked as 
I had been, I would be near to help him. 

I liked the woods so well, that I built 
there a kind of bower where I could stay 
when I chose. I made a strong fence of 
poles and brushwood, and used a ladder as 
in my other home. I called this my country 
house. 

Yery soon after I had finished my bower 
the rainy season came on and I had to stay 
in my cabin. 

On September thirtieth, I counted up the 
notches on my post, and found that I had 
been on the island three hundred and sixty- 
five days. (I had cut a notch for every day 
since the ship- wreck.) I spent this day in 
religious worship. I knelt down and prayed 
God to forgive my sins. I fasted for twelve 
hours, then I ate a biscuit and a bunch of 
raisins and went to bed. 

During the rainy season I stayed in my 
cabin most of the time, but I always found 
work to do. I needed baskets very much, 
and I had tried several ways of making 


Explores the Island. 


45 


them. But all of the twigs that I could 
get were too brittle. 

One day, while at my country house, I 
found some willow twigs that seemed 
tough. I cut them and let them dry, and 
then carried them to my cabin. 

In the rainy season I made my baskets of 
these. This business was not new to me, 
for when I was a boy I used to watch a 
basket-maker who lived in our town, and 
sometimes I would work with him. 


46 


Robinson Crusoe. 


IX. 

ANOTHER TRIP. 

In order to know still more about my 
island, I made ready for a longer trip. I 
took my gun, a hatchet, some biscuits, and 
some raisins, and Barri and I set out. 

I went beyond my country house to a 
place where I could see the ocean on the 
other side of the island. Far off across the 
water I saw more land. I thought it must 
be some part of America, or perhaps another 
island. 

This side of the island seemed more pleas- 
ant than mine, for here were many beauti- 
ful flowers and trees. In the woods near 
by, birds were singing their songs and flit- 
ting from tree to tree. There were also a 
great many parrots with their gay plumage. 
I caught a young one and carried it home, 
that I might teach it to talk. 

I also saw many small wild animals, but 


Another Trip. 


47 


I shot none as I did not wish to waste my 
powder. I was surprised to see the sand 
on the shore nearly covered with turtles. 

I drove a stake into the ground for a 
landmark, thinking that on the next jour- 
ney I would go around the seacoast the 
other way until I came to it. 

I was ready to go home now and took a 
new way. I had not gone far when I found 
myself in a large valley with wooded hills 
all around. My only guide was the sun, 
and as the weather was hazy for three or 
four days I lost my way. 

I wandered about for a long time but at 
last found my stake and went home the 
same way that I had come. 

On the way home Barri caught a young 
goat which I saved alive, and took home to 
tame. I made a collar for the little thing 
out of some string which I always carried 
with me, and led it to my country home 
where I left it. 

After being away from home for a month, 
I was anxious to get back. I cannot tell 


43 


Robinson Crusoe. 


the pleasure it was to me to come into my 
cabin again and lie down in my hammock. 

I rested for a week after my journey, and 
during the time made a cage for Polly. 
Then I began to think of the little kid I 
had left in the bower. I went out to it and 
found it nearly starved. When I had fed it 1 
it followed me like a dog, and soon became 
a great pet. 


His Garden. 


49 


X. 

HIS GARDEN. 

The daily journal that I kept helped me 
to discover that there were four seasons 
upon the island; two rainy and the other 
two dry. From the middle of February 
till the middle of April, it was rainy; from 
the middle of April to the middle of Au- 
gust, it was dry; from the middle of August 
till the middle of October, rainy; from the, 
middle of October till the middle of Feb- 
ruary, dry. 

One time, before I knew this, I planted 
my seed on the first of May but it did not 
sprout. The next season I planted some 
early in August and the rain coming soon 
it grew well. 

So I found that there were two seed times 
and two harvests. I planted my garden in 
September and in October it looked well. 
I thought, “What a fine harvest I am going 


50 


Robinson Ckusoe. 


to have.” But one day I saw that some 
wild goats and hares were eating off the 
tender blades of the grain. 

I knew of no way to protect my crop ex- 
cept to build a high fence around the field, 
so I went to work and at the end of three 
weeks it was done. 

But this fence could not save my grain, 
for one day when it was nearly ripe I saw 
a great many birds in my garden. I shot 
at them and a great flock arose; this wor- 
ried me, for I knew that unless I did some- 
thing immediately to scare them away they 
would eat up all my grain and I might 
starve. 

I went into the garden and found that 
they had spoiled some of it already, and as 
I was coming away I saw the thieves sitting 
upon the trees round about as if waiting 
until I had gone. 

Sure enough, 1 was not out of sight be- 
fore down they flew. I fired my gun and 
killed three. These I hung up in the field, 


His Garden. 


51 


which seemed to so frighten the others that 
they did not come back. 

When the grain was ripe I did not know 
how to harvest it, for I had neither scythe 
nor sickle. But I remembered a broad 
sword that I had brought from the ship 
and with this I did the work very well. I 
carried the grain home in the baskets which 
I had made, and rubbed it out with my 
hands. 

I had already quite a stock of rice and 
the new harvest gave me more. The third 
planting brought me over a bushel of wheat 
and as much rice. The fourth planting 
brought five bushels of wheat and still more 
of rice. Next time I planted two bushels 
of each kind and gathered more than forty 
bushels in all. Then I had all of the grain 
that I needed. 

It might be truly said that I had worked 
for my bread. 

I had no plow to turn up the earth; no 
spade nor shovel to dig with; so I spent 
many days making a wooden spade. I had 


52 


Robinson Crusoe. 


no harrow, so I had to go over the field 
dragging a great heavy bough of a tree to 
break the clods and make the ground 
smooth. 

Now that I had wheat how could I grind 
it? And if I had it ground into flour, how 
could I make bread of it? And how could 
I bake the bread after I had made it? I 
spent many hours trying to find answers to 
all these questions. 



VI. 

ROBINSON AS A COOK. 

The rainy season coming on again, I had 
to work in the house. I taught my parrot 
to speak and I was very glad when she could 
say, “Polly wants a cracker, cracker.” 

I needed some jars and plates very much, 
so I studied how to make them. I found 
a certain kind of clay which I thought 
would do. 

It would make you pity me or laugh at 
me were I to tell you of the ugly shaped 
things I formed; but at last I made some 

S3 


Robinson Crusoe. 


54 

which I dried in the sun, and they held my 
rice and grain very well. 

But what I most wished for was some- 
thing in which to cook my food. Home 
time after I made my first jars I had a hot 
fire for cooking my meat, and when I went 
to put it out I found a broken piece of one 
of my jars in the fire. It was burned as 
hard as stone and was as red as tile. I was 
surprised to see this, and I said to myself, 
“Why not burn whole jars and make them 
hard like this piece?” 

So I went to work and made some more 
kettles and jars, and although they were 
not very smooth nor round, yet they did 
very well. 

I placed the three largest vessels close 
together, with a good bed of live coals un- 
der them, and made a big fire all around 
them, but hardly had the flames begun to 
shoot up when “crack! crack!” and one ves- 
sel fell to pieces. I said to myself, “I be- 
lieve it is too hot.” So I put some of the 
fire out. As the others did not crack I kept 


Robinson a Cook. 


55 


up the fire, and after a while they turned a 
bright red. 

I thought that was all right, and I stayed 
up the whole night to watch the burning of 
my pottery. “Now,” said I, “they are ready 
to use.” But I found that something was 
the matter. They crumbled and fell to 
pieces. 

I did not know just what to do now, but 
J I dug a deep hole and laid stones about it. 

* Then I made a small fire in the hole and 
put in my jars. I kept making the fire a 
little hotter, and after a good many hours 
they were all a glowing red. Then it seemed 
as though they would all melt, so I let the 
fire go down slowly. 

I could hardly wait for them to cool be- 
fore trying them. This time they were well 
baked, for they had been in the fire just long 
enough. 

I put some meat into one of them with 
water and rice, and set it on the fire. It 
was well cooked and tasted very good, bet- 
ter than any I had had since I came to the 


56 


Robinson Crusoe. 


island. Some salt, which I had found near 
the sea on one of my trips, gave just the 
right flavor. 

I had thought so much about my jars that 
I had forgotten to write the days in my cal- 
endar. I found that the next day would be 
Sunday. I wished to spend it in the right 
way, for I thought of what the Bible says: 
“Six days thou shalt labor and do all thy 
work, but the seventh is the Sabbath of the 
Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any 
work.” 

When I had eaten my supper I went to 
sleep, and in the morning I wakened just 
as the sun was lighting up the hilltops. 
I arose quickly and offered my morning 
prayer. Then I milked my goats and drank 
the milk for my breakfast. 

After breakfast I went out into the morn- 
ing air, where the birds were singing their 
merry songs and everything was glad. I 
took off my hat and sang too. Never be- 
fore did I feel so thankful to God. Then I 
knelt down by a palm tree as before an al- 


Robinson a Cook. 


57 


I tar, and gave thanks to God for His great 
goodness. 

I had been thinking for a long time how 
I could make flour of my wheat. First of 
all I needed a mill. “If I had a mortar,” I 
said, “I could crush the grain in that.” 

I hunted many days for a large hollow 
stone for a mortar, but could find none; I 
had no tools strong enough to cut one out 
I of the solid rock, besides, the rocks were 
soft and sandy, and they would not do for 
I a mortar. At last I gave up looking for a 
I stone and began to seek for a block of hard 
j wood. After I had found one large enough, 
j I rounded it off with my hatchet, and then 
| with much hard work and the help of fire, 

I I made a hollow place in it. 
j After this I made a heavy pestle of iron- 
I wood. 

The next thing was to make a sieve. This 
was a hard thing to do. I had no cloth that 
would do for it; I had goat’s hair, but did 
not know how to weave it. 

After a long time I found some coarse 


58 


Robinson Crusoe. 


muslin in one of the chests, and with some 
of this I made three sieves which worked 
very well. 

The baking was the next thing to plan 
for, and as I had no oven, I moulded some 
dishes from clay that were quite shallow. 
These I burned in the, fire like the others. 

When baking day came I made a great 
fire upon the hearth. After the fire had 
burned down to live coals I drew them for- 
ward upon the hearth so as to cover it all 
over. 

When the hearth was very hot I swept 
away the coals and placed a loaf of dough 
there. Then I covered it with one of my 
dishes; and drew the coals all around the 
outside of the dish, to keep in the heat and 
to make more. In this way I baked my 
bread, and after a time I made puddings 
also. 

It took me nearly a year to make all these 
things. I could not work at them all of the 
time, for I had my garden to take care of 
and other work to do. 



XII. 

ROBINSON MAKES A BOAT. 


While I was at work I often thought 
about the land which I had seen across the 
water, and I could not help wishing to go 
to it. Perhaps people lived there, and if I 
! could reach it I might find a chance to re- 
turn home on some ship. 

59 




60 


Robinson Crusoe. 


Many times I longed for a boat that I 
might sail over to that country. 

I began to think then that perhaps I 
might make a canoe out of the trunk of a 
tree. As I thought more about it this 
seemed quite easy to do. 

So I went to work, first cutting down a 
fine cedar tree. It was five feet ten inches 
in diameter at the stump, and four feet 
eleven inches at the distance of twenty-two 
feet farther up. 

It took more than two weeks to cut this 
tree down and nearly as long to trim off the 
branches. Then I spent a month in shap- 
ing it, and three times as long in digging 
out the inside. 

When the work was done, I was very much 
pleased with it. It would carry twenty-six 
men, and was large enough to hold me and 
all of my household goods. 

The boat was about a halfh-our’s walk 
from the ocean, and there was a small hill 
to go over. A ditch or canal must be dug 
through this hill, so as to make a level way 


Robinson Makes a Boat. 


61 


for the boat, but when this was done I could 
not stir the canoe. 

Then I thought that I would cut a canal 
deep enough to bring the water to the canoe, 
since I could not bring the canoe to the 
water. Well, I began this work, but when 
I thought how deep it must be and how 
broad, I knew it would take me at least 
ten years to finish it. So I had to give up 
this boat. I felt very sorry about it, for I 
had worked hard to make it. But I learned 
too late how foolish it is to begin a work 
before counting the cost, and seeing how I 
was to get through with every part of it. 


62 


Robinson Crusoe. 


XIII. 

ROBINSON A TAILOR. 

I had now been on the island so long that 
many things which I had brought from the 
ship were used up. My ink had been gone 
for some time. I put in some water and 
made it last as long as I could, but it be- 
came so pale that the words on the paper 
were not visible. 

My clothes, too, were old and ragged, for 
I had worn them in the rain and had done 
a great deal of hard work in them. I had 
brought some clothing from the ship, but 
that was all worn out. 

Now I must plan for some new clothes. 
I had plenty of money, but what good could 
that do me here? If I were at home I could 
buy many fine clothes with it, but money 
was of no use on this island. 

F or a long time I could think of nothing 
from which to make clothes. Then I re- 


Robinson a Tailor. 


63 


membered that I had saved all of the skins 
of the goats I had killed, and had dried 
them in the sun. These might do for cloth, 
hut how could I make them into clothing? 

First, I took my measure for a jacket. I 
found that I would need three skins — one 
for the back, one for the front, and one for 
the sleeves. 

Next, I cut them into four-cornered 
pieces. It took a long time to sew them 
together, and I made sad work of it. I was 
a poor carpenter, and a very poor tailor in- 
deed. 

The sleeves gave me the most trouble be- 
cause they had to be sewed at the shoulders 
to the other parts. It took me two days to 
make the jacket, but when it was finished 
it was just the thing. I put the hair on the 
outside to turn the rain, and it kept out the 
heat also. 

I made some leggings and a cap — all out 
of goat skin. The cap looked like a large 
cone. It was somewhat longer behind than 
in front, to keep the rain and the heat from 


64 


Robinson Crusoe. 


my neck. I was very proud of my suit when 
it was finished. 

After this I spent much time in making 
an umbrella from skins. I spoiled two or 
three before I made one that suited me. I 
wanted it so made that I could shut it up, 
for 1 could not always carry it open. At 
last I made one that would shut up, and 
now I could go out in the hottest weather, 
as well as when it rained. 



XIY. 

HE MAKES A SMALLER CANOE. 


For five years after this, nothing unusual 
happened to me, and I lived on in the same 
way as before. My regular work was tak- 
ing care of my garden, curing my raisins, 
and hunting. 


66 


Robinson Crusoe. 


Besides this, I was working upon another 
canoe. As for the first one, it lay just where 
I had made it, as a silent reminder to be 
wiser hereafter and always to think before 
I acted. 

The second ooat was about half a mile 
from the water, for I could find no tree of 
the right size nearer. It was smaller than 
the first, and by digging a ditch six feet 
wide and four feet deep I brought it to the 
creek. 

This little boat would not serve for such 
a trip as I had planned with the other, but 
I could sail around my island in it. 

I fitted up a mast and made a sail out of 
some of the pieces of the ship’s sails that 
still remained. Then I made a trial trip 
and found that it would sail quite well. 

I made little boxes at each end of the 
boat in which to put powder and other 
things which were to be kept dry. Then I 
dug a long hollow place in the side where 
I could lay my gun, making a flap to hang 
down over it to keep it dry. 


He Makes a Smaller Canoe. 


67 


I bored a hole for the stock of my um- 
brella near the stern of the boat so that I 
might have a sun-shade as I sailed. Once 
in a while I took a little trip down the creek 
and out on the ocean, but I did not go far. 

At last I got ready for a trip around the 
island. I put in some bread, rice, powder 
and shot, and two large watch-coats which I 
had saved from the ship, one to lie upon and 
the other to cover me at night. 

It was in November, in the sixth year of 
my stay, that I started out on this trip; it 
proved to be a longer one than I had ex- 
pected. 

It was not that the island was so large, 
but when I came to the east side I found a 
ledge of rocks reaching far out into the 
ocean, and beyond this was a strip of sand. 
I had to go out a long way into the sea to 
get around this sand bar. 

When I first saw these rocks I thought I 
would return home. I anchored my boat, 
and taking my gun climbed a hill. What I 


Robinson Crusoe. 


saw from the top made me decide to go on 
in my boat. 

The sea being a little rough, I stayed on 
shore for two days. But on the third day 
the sea was calm again and I started out. 

When I reached the point, suddenly the 
boat began to go faster, and to my dismay 
I saw that a strong current in the ocean 
was carrying me out to sea. I could do 
little with my paddle and there was no 
wind. I feared that unless some change 
came soon I should bo lost. 

Now that I was being carried away from 
my island-home it seemed to me the most 
pleasant place in the world. I stretched 
out my hands to it, longing to be there once 
more. Then I said to myself, “I was not 
happy while I was there, but we never 
know how to enjoy what we have, until we 
lose it.” 

As I have said, there was no wind to help 
me, but I worked hard with the paddle, and 
after a while I felt a little breeze. Then it 


He Makes a Smaller Canoe. 


69 


blew quite a gale and I thought that now I 
might save myself. 

By this time I was a long way from the 
island and if it had not been clear 1 should 
certainly have been lost, for I should not 
have known which way to go. 

I soon found that the current had 
changed, and by hard work and th’e help 
of the wind I sailed out of it. Upon near- 
ing the shore I found that I was now on 
the opposite side of the island. 

As soon as I reached the land again I 
fell upon my knees and gave thanks to 
God. I brought my boat into a little cove 
close to the shore, and after eating some 
food I slept for many hours, for I was very 
tired. 

In the morning I did not know how to 
return home. I did not dare to try going 
by water after being so nearly lost the day 
before. I sailed along the shore for several 
miles until I came to the mouth of a creek 
flowing into the ocean. I brought my boat 
to land, and drawing it up on the shore 


70 


Robinson Crusoe. 


where it would be -hidden from view, I 
left it. 

Taking my umbrella and gun, I started 
on foot for home. Not far away was my 
old landmark and before evening I reached 
my country house. Here everything was 
just as I had left it. I climbed over the 
fence and lay down in the shade to rest 
and soon fell asleep. 

You can imagine my surprise upon being 
awakened by some one calling my name. 
The voice said, “Robin, Robin, Robin 
Crusoe! Where are you, Robin Crusoe? 
Where have you been? Poor Robin 
Crusoe?” 

I was sleeping so soundly that it seemed 
like a dream. But the voice kept on saying 
“Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe! Poor Robin 
Crusoe!” At last I awoke, much fright- 
ened. 

I looked around and there on the fence 
sat Polly blinking her eyes and chattering 
away. Holding out my hand 1 said, “Come 
here, Polly, pretty Polly!” She flew down 


He Makes a Smaller Canoe. 


71 


to me and sitting: on my shoulder laid her 
head against my face and kept saying, 
“Robin, Robin Crusoe! Where have you 
been? Poor Robin Crusoe!” — just as if 
she were very happy to see me again. 

I had had enough of sailing for a time, 
but wished that the boat were on my side 
of the island. 


72 


Robinson Crusoe. 


XY. ' 

BOBINSON’S FLOCKS. 

At the end of eleven years on the island I 
found that my ammunition was beginning 
to run low. I therefore planned to catch 
some goats, tame them, and have my own 
flocks. By doing this I should save both 
labor and ammunition. I already had one 
tame goat. I wondered what I could do to 
catch more. 

At first I made traps of rope, and baited 
them, and I am sure I must have caught 
some goats in these, but the ropes were 
rotten and would not hold. Then I dug 
some pits three or four feet deep and cov- 
ered them with small branches of trees. 
The next morning I found that I had 
caught three young kids. I tied them 
together and managed, with much trouble, 
to get them home. When we got there I 


Robinson’s Flocks. 


73 


had no place to keep them, so I set about 
finding a pasture, one where there would 
be plenty of grass, water, and shade. 

I found a place that suited me, and began 
to enclose a very large pasture which 
would require two miles of fence. I 
changed my mind, however, after thinking 
more about it, not because I had not time 
to make so long a fence, for I had time 
enough to make it five times as long if I 
had cared for such a one, but with such a 
large pasture, how could I tame my goats? 
They would be nearly as free as they were 
in the woods, and I could never catch one. 

I therefore decided to fence in about a 
quarter of an acre. When I should need 
more pasture it would be easy to enclose 
more land. While I was making the fence 
I kept my goats tied near me, that they 
might become used to me, and very often I 
would carry them a handful of wheat or 
rice which they learned to eat out of my 
hand. It took about three months to make 
the fence. When it was done the goats 


74 


Robinson Crusoe. 


would follow me up and down the pasture 
calling for grain. 

In three years I had forty-three goats, 
and I had killed many for food. 

At different times I fenced in more pas- 
ture, until I had fenced five pieces of 
ground with little pens opening out of 
each, and gates leading from one pasture 
into another. 

I had not only meat enough but plenty 
of milk as well — sometimes a gallon or two 
a: day — and after many failures I learned 
to make very good butter and cheese. 



XVI. 

ROBINSON’S MANNER OF LIVING. 


It would have made you smile to see me 
and my little family sit down to dinner. 
There was “your majesty,” the lord of the 
whole island. My subjects were happy 
and obedient, and none were seeking to * 
rule in my place. 

How like a king I sat at my table, at- 
tended by my subjects. Poll was the only 
person who presumed to talk to me with- 


75 


76 


Robinson Crusoe. 


out being first spoken to. My dog, now 
very old and half crazy, sat always at my 
right hand and the cats at my left. I 
needed nothing to add to my happiness 
but the society of my fellow men. 

My dress was very odd. Any one in 
England would have been frightened, per- 
haps, at meeting such a man in the woods. 
There was my great, high, ugly cap, 
made of goat skin, with a flap hanging 
down behind to keep the sun and the rain 
off my neck; my short coat of goat’s skin, 
the skirts coming down to about the 
middle of my thighs; and a pair of open- 
kneed breeches of the same material. The 
breeches were made of the skin of an old 
goat whose hair hung down so long that it 
reached to the middle of my legs. I wore, 
also, a pair of leggings laced up on the 
outside. 

I had around my waist a broad belt of 
goat’s skin, which was laced together by 
leather strings. From one side of it hung 
my hatchet; from the other, my saw. Over 


Kobinson’s Manner of Living. 


77 


my shoulder I wore another belt, not so 
broad as the first, and from this, under my 
left arm, hung two pouches, both made of 
goat’s skin; in one of these I carried my 
powder, in the other, my shot. On my 
back I carried a basket, on my shoulder a 
gun, and over my head the great, clumsy, 
ugly umbrella, which, after all, was the 
most necessary thing I had, next to my 
gun. 

Near my home, but upon lower ground, 
were my two grain fields, which I plowed 
and sowed every year, and which yielded 
me good harvests. My vinyard I also 
cared for, and the raisins that I made were 
not only good food, but very pleasant to 
the taste. 



XVII. 

ALARM. 

One day, about noon, I was walking 
along the shore toward my boat, when, on 
looking down, I saw in the sand the print 
of the naked foot of a man. I was very 
much frightened at this. I made use of 
all my eyes and ears but I could neither 
see nor hear anyone, so I went to the top 


Alarm. 


79 


of a hill that I might look off some dis- 
tance; but there was no one in sight. I 
went again to the shore and walked to and 
fro, searching in the sand, but there was 
no other, footprint to be seen and I could 
not imagine how this one came to be there. 

It was growing late and I started for 
home, looking behind me every three or 
four steps, and thinking that every stump 
I saw at a distance was a man. 

When I came to my cave, which 1 now 
named my castle, 1 ran into it as if I were 
chased by wolves. 

I could not sleep that night. I thought 
and kept thinking of that footprint, and 
made up my mind that some savages from 
the mainland had come over in canoes, but 
had gone away to sea again, being as much 
afraid to stay on the island as I was to 
have them. 

I felt very grateful that I was not near 
when they landed, and that they had not 
seen my boat; for if they had seen that, 


80 


Robinson Crusoe. 


very likely they would have hunted the 
island over for its owner. 

One morning when I was worrying over 
this discovery, these words of the Bible 
came again to my mind: “Call upon me in 
the day of trouble; I will deliver thee and 
thou shalt glorify me.” I prayed to God 
to deliver me from my enemies, then rose 
from my bed greatly comforted. 

For three days and nights I did not stir 
from my castle, and by that time I was in 
great need of food. I had nothing in the 
house but some wheat cakes and water. 
My goats, too, needed to be milked, and I 
went, at last, to my country house to milk 
them. After going down there and back 
two or three times and seeing no one, I 
began to feel less alarm. 


Prepares for Trouble. 


81 


XVIII. 

ROBINSON PREPARES FOR 
TROUBLE. 


My business now was to make myself 
safe against enemies. The first thing that 
I planned to do was to make another tight 
fence around my castle outside of the first 
one. About twelve years before this, I 
had planted a double row of trees here 
where I wished to make a second fortifica- 
tion. These trees stood close together, and 
I had to drive in but a few posts to make a 
thicker and stronger fence than the first 
one. 

In this outer fence, or wall, I made seven 
little holes about as big around as my arm. 
Through these seven holes I put seven, 
muskets, which I fitted into frames 'which 
held them in place, so that they looked 
much like small cannon. I could fire all 


82 


Robinson Crusoe. 


of these seven guns in two minutes’ time. 
The inner wall I thickened until it was ten 
feet through. This I did by taking dirt 
from the cave. 

Outside of the outer wall, and at some 
distance from it, I stuck in the ground, for 
a long way out, a great many twigs of 
willow, which grew quickly and in five 
or six years’ time I had a wood about my 
home so very thick and strong that no one 
would think that there was a house within, 
and if anyone had tried to get through, he 
could not have done it without great labor. 

For myself, I planned to go in and out 
by two ladders— one to lead from the out-' 
side of my outer wall to a shelf of rock, 
and the other to lead from this shelf to the 
top of the hill. When the two ladders were 
down, no man living could come down to 
me without getting hurt; and even if one 
should get down, he would still be outside 
the outer wall. 

The next question I asked myself was, 
“How shall I keep my goats out of the 


Prepares for Trouble. 


83 


way of enemies?” I hit upon the following 
plan: I would fence in three or four pas- 
tures far away from one another, and well 
hidden by trees; then I would divide my 
flock, so that if one pasture were found, the 
others might still be safe. . 

So I went out in search of good pasture 
land, and found a small damp field in the 
middle of a hollow, with woods all around 
it. These woods were so thick that I 
nearly got lost in them. There were 
about three acres in this piece. I worked 
nearly a month fencing it in, then I 
brought twelve goats into it. These, I 
thought, were quite secure. Later on 
I fenced in two more pastures and put 
tame goats into them. 

For two years after my fright I was 
very careful not to fire my gun, though I 
never went without one, and I carried two 
pistols in my goat-skin belt. 

I moved my boat to the east end of the 
island, and ran it into a sheltered nook 


84 


Robinson Crusoe. 


where I thought that no one would be 
likely to find it. 

I seldom went away from home except 
to milk and care for my goats. I did not 
dare to drive a nail or chop a stick of 
wood, for fear the noise would be heard by 
some one. I felt afraid, too, every time I 
made a fire, lest the smoke should tell 
where I was hiding. Bo I made some 
charcoal by burning wood covered with 
earth till it became coal. This charcoal 
made no smoke when it burned. 


A Discovery. 


85 


XIX. 

A DISCOVERY. 

I was cutting off some branches of trees 
one day to make charcoal, when I saw, 
back of the trees, an open space in the 
hill-side. I entered it and found that it 
was a cave so high that I could stand up 
in it. But I came out much faster than I 
had gone in, for, peering into the dark, I 
saw two large shining eyes twinkling like 
two stars. 

I did not dare to leave the place without 
finding out to what those eyes belonged, so 
I took up a stick of burning wood and 
rushed into the cave with it- in my hand. I 
had not gone more than three steps when 
I heard a deep sigh, as if some one were 
in pain. After this there was a mumbling 
sound as of words half spoken, then an- 
other sigh. 

I stepped back and broke out into a cold 


86 


Robinson Crusoe. 


sweat; but after gathering up my courage a 
little I went on again into the cave, and by 
the light of the burning stick held a little 
above my head, I saw a large goat lying on 
the ground gasping for breath. He was 
dying of old age. I stirred him a little to 
see if I could get him out, but he could 
not stand, and I comforted myself in the 
thought that no savage would go into that 
cave — at any rate, while the goat lived. 

This cave was not very large, but at the 
further end, to the right, was a small pas* 
sage so low that one must creep on his 
hands and knees to get through it. Hav- 
ing no candle I could not go into that part 
of 'the cave, but I said that I would come 
next day and bring some candles with me. 

So on the following day I went with my 
candles, made of goat’s tallow, and passed 
through the low opening. I crept along 
on my hands and knees about ten yards: 
At the end of this long, low hall the roof 
suddenly rose to the height of twenty feet. 

This was a beautiful room. The walls 


A Discovery. 


87 


and ceilings reflected a thousand lights 
from my [two candles. The floor was dry 
and level and had loose gravel upon it, and 
there was no dampness about the roof or 
sides of the cave. “Surely,” I cried, 
“here is a place of safety, and I will 
bring to it some of the things I am most 
anxious to save — my powder and five 
guns, at least. 

The old goat died that night and I 
took full possession of the cave. 


COMING OF THE SAVAGES. 


About a year and a half had passed after 
my discovery of the footprint when, one 
morning, I was alarmed at seeing five 
canoes drawn up on the shore on my side 
of the island. The people had all landed. 
I knew that these canoes carried from four 


Coming of the Savages. 89 

to six men, and I was not able to see how I 
could withstand so many; so I lay still in 
my castle for some time. 

At length, hearing no noise, I set my 
. guns against the foot of the ladder and 
climbed to the top of the hill. I was 
hidden from their view, but I could see 
the men through my glass. There were 
about thirty of them. 

They had kindled a fire and seemed to 
be cooking their dinner and dancing around 
it. I then saw them drag two men from 
the boats. One of these they knocked 
down, and proceeded. to cook him over the 
fire for their dinner. The other was left 
standing alone, probably waiting until they 
should get ready for him. 

This savage, seeing a little chance for 
life, darted away from his captors. He ran 
very fast directly toward my home. I was 
dreadfully frightened when I saw this, for 
I thought all the savages would be after 
him. I soon saw, however, that only three 
of the men were following the runaway, 


90 


Robinson Crusoe. 


and he was gaining on them so fast that if 
he could hold out at that rate, he would be 
beyond their reach in half an hour. 

On coming to the creek he jumped in 
and swam over. Two of the savages swam, 
after him, but the third one gave up the 
chase and went back to the feast. 

I thought, “Now is my chance to get 
a servant, if I can save this poor fellow’s 
life;” so 1 ran down the ladder, caught 
up my two guns, and rushed out so as to 
stand between him and the two savages 
who were following him. 

I called to the runaway, who at first 
seemed more afraid of me than of his two 
enemies. Then I beckoned to him to come 
back, and at the same time I ran toward 
the two savages, rushing at the head one 
and knocking him down with my gun. I 
feared to fire lest those on the shore should 
hear. 

• The second savage stopped when the 
first one was knocked down, and I saw 


Coming of the Savages. 


91 


that he was fitting an arrow into his bow, 
so I fired and killed him. 

The poor savage who saw both of his 
enemies fall was so frightened by the noise 
of my gun that he seemed about to run 
away. I called and again beckoned to him 
to come nearer, and he came a little way. 
By a great deal of coaxing I at last got 
him to come to me. He threw himself at 
my feet, and placed my foot on his head. 
This was his way of saying that he would 
be my servant forever. I raised him up 
and spoke to him kindly. 

But there was more work to be done. 
The savage who was knocked down was 
only stunned and was now coming to his 
senses. This frightened the fugitive very 
much. I raised my gun as if to fire. At 
this the runaway, by pointing to my sword 
which hung naked at my belt, and by other 
gestures and cries made me know that he 
wanted it. 

As soon as I gave it to him he ran at 
his enemy and cut off his head at a single 


92 


Robinson Crusoe. 


blow. Then he took the head and ran to 
me and laid it and the sword at my feet, 
laughing as he did so. I signed to him 
to follow me, for fear the others would 
search for him. 


GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE 
NEW SERVANT. 


My servant made signs that he would 
bury his two enemies, and I made signs to 
him to do so. 

This being done, I took him to my cave 


94 


Robinson Crusoe. 


and gave him some bread, a bunch of rais- 
ins, and a cup of water, then told him, by 
motions, to lie down and sleep on some 
rice straw and a blanket which I placed 
there for him. 

While he was sleeping I had a chance to' 
study him more closely. He was a fine 
looking fellow, tall and straight. He had 
a manly, pleasant face, plump and round. 
His hair was long and black, his forehead 
high and broad, and he had bright, spark- 
ling black eyes. His skin was quite dark, 
though not black. I think he was about 
twenty-five years old. 

When he awoke he began to hunt for 
me. I was out milking my goats. As soon 
as he saw me he ran to me, threw himself ' 
flat on the ground, and, taking one of my 
feet placed it on his head as before, to 
show that he was my servant and would do 
my bidding. 

I made him know that his name should 
be Friday, which was the day on which 


Getting Acquainted. 


95 


his life was saved, and I taught him that 
he was to eall me master. 

Taking a cup of milk I drank some of it 
and then moistened my bread in what was 
left. I gave Friday a cup of milk; he did 
the same thing with his bread, showing by 
signs that he thought it very good. 

After supper I went with him to the 
shore. He carried my sword and one gun, 
and I carried two more. 

When we came to the place where the 
dreadful banquet had been held, I grew 
faint at the sight. It was covered with the 
remains of the bodies of the poor captives 
that had been roasted and eaten. I told 
F riday to gather these up and burn them. 

He would have eaten some of the flesh, 
but I showed my anger and disgust at this 
and he did not offer to do it again. 

When we went back to the cave I gave 
F riday a pair of goat-skin trousers, a goat- 
skin coat, and a cap made of the skin of a 
rabbit. He was very proud of his clothes, 
though he could hardly walk when first 


96 


Robinson Crusoe 


dressed in them, for he had never worn 
clothes before. 

I now wondered where I should make a 
bed for Friday. I wanted to do well by 
hi m , and yet I did not feel quite safe to 
sleep in the same room with him. So I 
put up a tent for him in the space between 
the two fences. 

This tent opened by a door into my yard. 
The door was made to lock from my side, 
and I locked it and took in my ladder every 
night. Friday would not have found it 
easy to come to me if he had wished to do 
me harm. If I had known what a true 
friend he was, I should not have locked 
him out of my house. 

I learned from Friday, later, that he 
came from the mainland, where there were 
several tribes of savages who were ever at 
war with one another. Those that .were 
victors in a battle would roast and eat the 
prisoners they had taken. Some of these 
feasts had been held on my island for 
many years. 


Robinson a Teacher. 


97 


XXII. 

ROBINSON A TEACHER. 

Friday learned very fast and soon knew 
English so well that I could talk with him 
about anything I wished. 

I taught him that there is a heavenly 
Father who made everything, and that He 
loves men as a father loves his children, 
and that He cares for them even more ten- 
derly than a father does. When Christmas 
came I taught him about Jesus. 

I told him how I came upon the island, 
and how long I had been there, and what a 
hard time I had at first to get food and 
make a home, and how lonely I had been 
until he came. 

I taught him to shoot a gun. At first he 
was so frightened by the noise and smoke 
that he trembled at every report. But he 
soon got over that. 

I also taught Friday how to plant and 


98 


Robinson Crusoe. 


harvest the wheat and rice, and to make 
baskets and earthen dishes. He milked 
the goats every morning and evening, and 
soon learned to make butter and cheese. 

One evening, at the close of a very warm 
day, the sky became covered with dark 
clouds. It began to thunder and lighten, 
and Friday shrank away into a dark corner 
of the house. I did not think at first why 
he was so frightened, and said to him “Fri- 
day, what is the matter?” But there was 
no answer. 

“Well, well,” said I, “is Friday afraid 
of thunder and lightning after living so 
many years out of doors?” That seemed to 
be the case, for when it thundered louder 
he trembled still more. 

“Listen to me, Friday,” I said, “if it 
thunders again do not be afraid, for God is 
not angry. He is a kind and loving Father. 
He can do anything that He wishes, but 
He does nothing that is not good for His 
children.” 


Prepares for a Journey: 


99 


XXIII. 

ROBINSON PREPARES FOR A 
JOURNEY. 

One day when F riday and I were walking 
by the shore I said to him, “Do you not 
wish to go hack to your own country?” 

“Yes,” said Friday, “I be much 0 glad 
to be at my own country.” 

“What would you do there? Would you 
be a man eater such as you used to be?” 

Friday shook his head and said, “No, no; 
Friday tell them to live good and pray to 
God; tell them to eat corn, bread, and 
cattle-flesh and drink milk; no eat man 
again.” 

“But, Friday, they will kill you.” 

“Oh, no,” said Friday, “they no kill me; 
they will love learn.” 

“Then will you go Friday?” I asked. 

Friday shook his head and said, “How 
go? Friday no swim so far.” 


100 


Robinson Crusoe. 


“I will make you a canoe, Friday, if you 
want to go home,” said I. 

“Then Friday go, if you go,” said Friday. 

“But they will eat me, Friday.” 

“Oh, no, master, me make them no eat 
you. Me make them much love you.” Then 
he told me how kind they had been to 
seventeen white men who had been ship- 
wrecked and thrown on shore in a terrible 
storm. 

After this I began to think strongly of 
going with Friday, hoping that by joining 
with the seventeen white men there 1 might 
find some way to cross the ocean and return 
to my native land. I took Friday to see 
my boats. He thought that the second one 
I had made was too small. He liked the size 
of the larger boat, but it was cracked and 
rotten. He said that we could sail over to 
his country in one of that size. 

So now a new boat must be built, and 
this time I wished to choose a tree near the 
shore, that we might launch the boat with- 
out great trouble after we had finished it. 


Prepares for a Journey. 


101 


At last Friday found a good tree, for he 
knew much more about the trees on the 
island than I did. He was going to burn 
out the inside of it, but I showed him how 
to cut it out with tools. This he learned 
very quickly to do. 

In about a month the boat was done, and 
a fine vessel it was. I asked Friday if it 
would do. “Yes,” he said, “we go over in 
her very well, though great blow wind.” 

But I did not intend to start out in the 
boat as it was. I found a straight cedar 
tree and had Friday cut it down and shape 
it as I directed. This was my mast. 

But what should I do for a sail ? There 
were many pieces of old sails which I had 
been using for twenty-six years, but they 
were mostly rotten. I looked them over 
carefully and found two large pieces which 
were quite good; these I sewed together. 
It took about two months to get the mast 
and sail ready. 

My next work was to make a rudder, 
which I fastened to the stern of the vessel. 


102 


Robinson Crusoe. 


When the boat was all ready I taught 
F riday how to use the rudder, and he soon 
became a good sailor. 

But we had to wait for good weather, 
this being the stormy season. It was the 
30th of September and I had been on the 
island twenty-six years. I kept this anni- 
versary with a grateful heart. The last 
three years had been much the happiest of 
my life here, for Friday had been a faith- 
ful and true friend to me. 

I had brought the boat up the creek to 
shelter it from the storms, and F riday had 
covered it so thickly with the boughs of 
trees that the rain could scarcely get 
through at all. Then we waited for the 
dry season when we intended to start on 
our voyage. 



XXIV. 

NEW TROUBLE. 


The rainy season was now over, and 
Friday and I began to make ready for our 
journey. 

One morning I sent Friday to the shore 
for a turtle. He had not been gone long 
when he came running back in great terror, 
crying, “Oh, master! Oh, master! Oh, 
sorrow! Oh, death ! ” 

“What is the matter, Friday?” 1 asked. 


103 


104 


Robinson Crusoe. 


“Oh, master, yonder there, one, two, 
three canoes — one, two, three; carry Fri- 
day off, cut Friday in pieces and eat him,” 
cried he, trembling' from head to foot. 

“Do not be afraid, Friday,” said I. “We 
will go out and drive them away. They 
shall not carry you off if you will help me 
to fight. Now will you do all that I tell 
you to do?” 

“Me shoot,” cried Friday, “but there 
come many number.” 

“Never mind that, Friday; just do as I 
tell you.” 

Seeing me so cool, Friday became more 
quiet himself. 

We loaded two pistols and four guns with 
bullets, then I hung my great sword by my 
side and gave F riday a hatchet. 

When we were ready, I took my spy- 
glass and went up the hill to see what had 
become of the boats. There were twenty- 
one savages and two prisoners in three 
canoes. They were coming, as before, to 
make a feast. 


New Trouble. 


105 


I vsrent down and told Friday that I 
wanted to kill all of the savages, and asked 
him if he were going to help me. 

He said, “Friday die, if master say die.” 

I gave Friday one pistol to hang in his 
belt and three guns to carry upon his shoul- 
der, and a large pouch full of powder and 
bullets. I took one pistol and the other gun 
and told F riday to keep close to me. 

We went through the woods so that the 
savages might not see us until we came 
close enough to shoot. 

When we came near to the place where 
the savages had landed I said to Friday, 
“Go to that great tree and see if you can 
find out what they are doing.” 

Friday obeyed at once and came back 
bringing word that the men could be seen 
plainly. He said they were all about the 
fire eating the flesh of one of the prisoners 
and another was lying bound upon the sand 
near them; they would kill him next. He 
was a white man with a beard. 

When I heard this we moved toward the 


106 


Robinson Crusoe. 


savages, but kept out of their sight. We 
were still about fifty yards from them and 
there was no time to loose. Nineteen sav- 
ages sat on the ground huddled close to- 
gether while two of them were stooping 
down to untie the bonds of the white man. 

“Now, Friday, do as I tell you," I said. 
“Do exactly as you see me do." At this J 
took my gun and aimed at the savages. 
Friday did the same. “Now, fire," said T, 
and we both fired together. Three sav- 
ages were killed and several others were 
wounded. 

They all jumped up but they did not 
know which way to look or which way to 
run. I threw down my gun and caught up 
another. Friday did the same. We both 
aimed at the savages and shot at the same 
time. Two more were killed and several 
more wounded. 

M Now, Friday, follow me," I said, throw- 
ing down my gun and picking up my pistol. 
Then I rushed out of the wood, Friday fol- 
lowing closely. We both shouted and ran 


New Trouble. 


107 


down to the prisoner. Five of the savages 
jumped into a canoe. I told Friday to fire 
upon them while I set the poor prisoner free. 

As soon as I had cut the bonds that held 
the white man he was able to help us. The 
savages had no weapons and most of them 
were killed before they could reach their 
boats. Only four got away in a canoe and 
one of these was wounded. 

Friday wanted very much to follow the 
four in the canoe, and I also wished to do 
so, that none might be left to carry the 
news to their tribe. If they should hear 
about us greater numbers might come over 
and capture us; so I ran to one of the 
canoes, jumped in, and told Friday to fol- 
low me. 


108 


Robinson Crusoe. 


XXY. 

A HAPPY MEETING. 

Imagine my surprise, on jumping into the 
boat, to find another captive, bound hand 
and foot, and almost dead with fright. He 
was lying in the bottom of the canoe. 

I cut the ropes which bound him and 
tried to raise him up, but he could neither 
sit nor speak. He groaned piteously. 

I told Friday to speak to him and tell 
him that we were his friends. Friday did 
so, and the prisoner then sat up in the boat. 
F riday stared at him a moment, then threw 
his arms around him, kissing and hugging 
him, and crying, laughing, dancing, and 
singing by turns. It was some time before 
he quieted down enough to tell me what 
made him so happy. At last he cried, “Oh, 
sir, my father!” 

This meeting of father and son put an 


A Happy Meeting. 


109 


end to our pursuit of the savages, for they 
were now nearly out of sight. 

I was glad afterward that we did not go, 
for a great storm arose, and there seemed 
very little doubt that the savages who were 
in the boat were all drowned. 

Friday was so busy taking care of his 
father that I did not like to call him away. 
At last I asked him if he had given his 
father any bread. He shook his head and 
said, “None; ugly dog eat all up self.” 

So I gave him a piece of bread and a 
handful of raisins for his father. He gave 
these to him, then jumped out of the boat 
and ran off as fast as he could go. I called 
after him but he did not seem to hear me. 

In a quarter of an hour I saw him coming 
back. As he came near I saw that he had 
been home, for he carried a jug of water 
and two loaves of bread. He gave the 
bread to me and carried the water to his 
father. The water helped his father more 
than anything else Friday could have done, 
for he was faint from thirst. 


110 


Robinson Crusoe. 


After his father had drank I asked him if 
there was any water left. He said, “Yes, 
Master;” so I told him to give some to the 
poor white man. 

The white man was lying in the shade of 
a tree^ very weak. Friday gave him the 
water and some bread, which revived him. 
I went to him and gave him some raisins. - 

This prisoner who was a Spaniard, was 
very grateful. As soon as he had eaten he 
tried tq stand on his feet but he was unable 
to do so, for his ankles were badly swollen 
and pained him very much. 

I wanted to take the strangers home with 
me but did not know how to do it. Friday 
said that he could get them part way home 
at any rate. He picked up the Spaniard, 
carried him to the canoe and placed him be- 
side his father; then he rowed along the 
shore and up the creek. He left them here 
and ran back for the other canoe, in which 
he brought me. 

Then he helped the guests nut of the boat 
and set them down on the bank. 


A Happy Meeting. 


Ill 


He could not tell what to do with them 
now, but I had been planning: for this, and 
I called to Friday to come and help me to 
make a litter of the branches of trees. We 
carried the men home on this. 

We could not get them oyer the fence, so 
we made a tent outside and covered it with 
old sails, over which we placed boughs of 
trees. In this tent I made two good beds 
of rice straw which I covered with blankets. 

This being done, I prepared some meat 
soup and put rice and whole wheat into it. 
When it was done we set a table in the new 
tent and all dined there together. 

The Spaniard had been so long among 
the savages that he spoke their language 
quite well, so that F riday could understand 
hi m and could tell me what the two guests 
said to each other. 

After supper F riday brought in the two 
guns which had been left on the battle- 
field, and the next day he buried the dead 
bodies and all that remained of the dread- 
ful feast. 


112 


Robinson Crusoe. 


XXYI. 

GETTING READY FOR MORE 
GUESTS. 

A few weeks later I began to think once 
more of going over to Friday’s old home. 
His father told me that he felt very sure 
that his people would treat me well, because 
of my kindness to him. 

I talked with the Spaniard about it, and 
learned from him that there were sixteen 
white men living with this tribe. They 
had been well treated by the savages, but it 
was very hard forihem to get enough food 
and clothing to keep themselves alive. 

The Spaniard wanted very much to bring 
them to my island if I were willing. I felt 
very sorry for them, and, besides, I thought 
if we were all on the island, we might, by 
working together, make a ship in which we 
could sail to England. 

But there were not enough provisions for 


Getting, Ready for More Guests. llS 

so many, so we all set to work and dug up 
a large piece of ground and sowed all the 
seed that could be spared. Friday’s father 
and the Spaniard planned to go back for 
the white men after the harvest. 

While the crops were growing, I set the 
men to' work cutting down oak trees and 
making them into planks for the ship which 
I hoped we might build some time. 

We also eaught several goats which were 
added to my flock, and we gathered and 
dried a great many grapes. 

It was now harvest time. F rom the 
twenty-two bushels of wheat sown, two 
hundred and twenty bushels were gathered, 
and the rice crop was as good. A great 
many baskets had to be made in which to 
store so much grain. 

We now had a good supply of provisions 
on hand, and Friday’s father and the Span- 
iard were ready to start hack. I gave each 
of them a gun and about eight charges of 
powder and balls, and told them not to use 
these unless it should be very necessary. 


114 


Robinson Crusoe. 


They took on board bread and raisins 
enough to last them a long time, and to feed 
all the Spaniards about eight days. 

They promised to hang out a flag on their 
boat when they came back so that we might 
know that they were friends long before 
they reached the island. 


Another Surprise. 


115 


XXVII. 

ANOTHER SURPRISE. 


Eight days had passed since the Spaniard 
and the old Indian left the Island. On the 
morning of the ninth I was fast asleep in 
my cabin when Friday ran to me and said, 
“Master, master, they are come, they are 
come.” 

When I heard this I dressed quickly and 
ran down to the shore, but I soon saw that 
this was not the boat that we were looking 
for. I called Friday to me and told him to 
keep out of sight of the crew of the boat. 

Then I got my glass and went to the top 
of the hill where I could look without being 
seen. 

Lying. south of the island was a ship. 
Yes, it was an English ship, and the boat 
was an English boat manned by English 
sailors. What a joyful sight! 


116 


Robinson Crusoe. 


Friday and I went down to the shore to 
the boat, in which were the captain and two 
other officers of the ship. These men were 
very much surprised to find human beings 
on the island. I told them how I came to 
be here and how I had been longing these 
many, many years to see old England and 
my father and mother, 

The captain offered to take Friday and 
me to England and I was very happy at the 
thought of seeing my father and mother 
again. 

I told Friday that he might stay if he 
wished and live with the Spaniards, or he 
could take a canoe and go home; but he 
chose to go with me, for he knew that his 
father was now free and among his own 
people, and he had come to think that I 
could not live without him. 

I left a letter for the Spaniards telling 
them that I would send word to their coun- 
trymen where they could be found. I left 
them my guns and ammunition and all my 
other property also. 


Another Surprise. 


117 


I took home with me, as relics, my goat- 
skin cap, my umbrella, and one of my par- 
rots. I also took the hag of money, which 
would now be worth something to me. I 
could not help feeling sad when I bade a 
last farewell to my island-home, my care, 
my vineyard and orchard which I had 
planted, my tame goats, and my parrots. 
They had all become dear to me. 

I had lived upon the island more than 
twenty-eight years. 


118 


Robinson Crusoe. 


XXVIII; 

HOME AGAIN. 

After a voyage of seven weeks the ship 
rode into the harbor from which I had set 
sail many years before. Everything was 
strange to Friday, and he did not know 
what to make of it all. He asked many 
questions, but I was so busy with my own 
thoughts that I did not answer all of them. 

I hurried from the ship, telling Friday 
to follow me. When nearly home I asked 
a man whom I met about my parents. He 
told me my father was still living, but that 
my mother had died from sorrow over the 
loss of her boy. When I heard this I cried 
aloud. 

On reaching home I opened the door into 
my father’s room. There he sat, the poor 
old man, in his arm chair, his Bible open on 
a table near by. 

I hastened to him and cried in a tremb- 


Home Again. 


119 


ling voice, “Father, father, do you not know 
your son? It is 1, your boy Robinson!” 

“Can it, oh, can it be my son?” said my 
father, feebly. “Can it be that my boy has 
come back?” And he drew me lovingly to 
his breast. After that he could not bear 
that I should be out of his sight. 

My relatives and friends heard that I had 
come home, and flocked to' see me. I had 
to tell the story of my shipwreck and of my 
life on the island over many times and often 
until late into the night. 

When I had ended I said, “You see I 
have had a hard time, and all because I 
would not obey my parents and was lazy 
when I was a boy.” 

From this time on, Friday and I lived a 
quiet life. I took charge of my father’s busi- 
ness and Friday helped me. But I never 
forgot to give thanks to God for guiding 
me safely through so many dangers. 


120 


Robinson Crusoe. 


ROBINSON ON PUS ISLAND. 


“I am a monarch of all I survey; 

My right there is none to dispute; 
From the center all ’round to the sea 
I am lord of the fowl and the brute. 

O, Solitude,, where are the charms 
That sages have seen in thy face? 
Better dwell in the midst of alarms, 
Than reign in this horrible place, 

“I am out of humanity’s reach; 

I must finish my journey alone; 

Never hear the sweet music of speech: 

I start at the sound of my own ! 

The beasts that roam over the plain 
My form with indifference see; 

They are so unacquainted with man, 
Their tameness is shocking to me. 

“Society, Friendship, and Love, 
Divinely bestowed upon man, 

Oh, had I the wings of a dove 
How soon would I taste you again! 

My sorrows I might then assuage, 

In the ways of religion and truth; 
Might learn from the wisdom of age, 
And be cheered by the sallies of youth. 


On His Island. 


121 


Ye winds that have made me your sport, 
Convey to this desolate shore 
Some cordial, endearing report 
Oi a land I shall visit no more. 

My friends — do they now and then send 
A wish or a thought after me? 

Oh, tell me I yet have a friend, 

Though a friend I am never to see. 

“How fleet is a glance of the mind! 

Compared with the speed of its flight 
The tempest itself lags behind, 

And the swift-winged arrows of light. 

When I think of my own native land, 

In a moment I seem to be there- 
But, alas! recollection at hand 
Soon hurries me back to despair. 

“But the sea-fowl has gone to her nest, 

The beast has lain down in his lair; 

Even here is a season of rest, 

And I to my cabin repair. 

There’s mercy in every place, 

And mercy — encouraging thought — 

Gives even affliction a grace, 

And reconciles man to his lot.” 

— William Cowpcr. 






























































































































































































































































































































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